Regulatory Impact Assessment
Regulations can safeguard people and property, boost the economy and protect the environment, but they can also impose an administrative burden and significant costs, particularly on small businesses. Regulatory Impact Assessments (RIA sometimes referred to as a Regulatory Impact Analysis) were introduced by government in response to these concerns.
Government departments and agencies proposing new regulations, or amendments to existing regulations, prepare a Regulatory Impact Assessment which assesses its likely impact. They explain the objective of the proposed regulation, its likely costs, risks and benefits. Changes should only be introduced when other alternatives have first been considered and rejected and where the benefits justify the burdens.
In a report to Parliament in 2001, Better Regulation: Making Good Use of Regulatory Impact Assessments, Sir John Bourn, Head of the National Audit Office (NAO) suggested that RIAs had contributed to better policy making and reduced costs to business but that there was room for improvement. He suggested three factors which characterised good RIAs:
- Starting early.
- Consulting effectively.
- Analysing costs and benefits appropriately.
It was proposed that policy makers should evaluate a range of options (including not regulating) and encourage self-regulation where feasible.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
Featured articles and news
Solar generation in the historic environment
Success requires understanding each site in detail.
Level 6 Design, Construction and Management BSc
CIOB launches first-ever degree programme to develop the next generation of construction leaders.
Open for business as of April, with its 2026 prospectus and new pipeline of housing schemes.
The operational value of workforce health
Keeping projects moving. Incorporating unplanned absence and the importance of health, in operations.
A carbon case for indigenous slate
UK slate can offer clear embodied carbon advantages.
Costs and insolvencies mount for SMEs, despite growth
Construction sector under insolvency and wage bill pressure in part linked to National Insurance, says report.
The place for vitrified clay pipes in modern infrastructure
Why vitrified clay pipes are reclaiming their role in built projects.
Research by construction PR consultancy LMC published.
Roles and responsibilities of domestic clients
ACA Safety in Construction guide for domestic clients.
Fire door compliance in UK commercial buildings
Architect and manufacturer gives their low down.
Plumbing and heating for sustainability in new properties
Technical Engineer runs through changes in regulations, innovations in materials, and product systems.
Awareness of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism
What CBAM is and what to do about it.
The new towns and strategic environmental assessments
12 locations of the New Towns Taskforce reduced to 7 within the new towns draft programme and open consultation.
Buildings that changed the future of architecture. Book review.
The Sustainability Pathfinder© Handbook
Built environment agency launches free Pathfinder© tool to help businesses progress sustainability strategies.
Government outcome to the late payment consultation, ECA reacts.